As a nation state, Italy has emerged only in 1871. Until then the country was politically divided into a large number of independant cities, provinces and islands. The currently available evidences point out to a dominant Etruscan, Greek and Roman cultural influence on today's Italians.

Hi Carmine,
I should have searched the threads first. Quite frankly, I didn't think of it.
I don't believe my cousin was ever in Italy although he fought throughout Europe during WW2. This may have been info he picked up through his profession that was completely unedited. The thread was very interesting,

Hi Laura,
Thank you for the update. I see the rules are not "cut and dried" throughout Italy. I don't think I had ever heard of this concept. We have cemeteries in U.S. with graves that are hundreds of years old and completely undisturbed. This is what I am accustomed to. My daughter has pursued her genealogy interests in many ancient cemeteries in U.S.
Do you know if this Italian concept is common throughout Europe? I'm sure other European countries are facing the same space restrictions.
An interesting subject.

I can tell you about my personal experience...
In the little cemetery where most of my ancestors are buried I can see the burial of my .Great.Great.Great.grandmother (born on 1811 died on 1907) .. this is because my family bought many years ago a "family deposito" where are buried 10 people... the concession was perpetual at the time my ancestors bought it..

I saw a cemetery in the U.S. and I know the burials are perpetual... this is great for you... I believe that from 1975 in Italy this is not possible...
It depends so much from the towns where the cemeteries are... We have very big "space" problems... I know that for the law desenterredments are after ten years even if a Comune can ask to short this period to 5 years (for burial in the "ground" of course)

I remembered when my Italian Grandpa died. I was 4..their house was huge..I was 4 and at that age, everything looked big. (Iwas a little girl) I was walking down the stairs from the bedrooms and when you got to the bottom of the stairs you faced the large living room. There in the middle of the room was his casket..on top of this table like thing on wheels with a dark drape over it..it stayed there two days..this was in 1954..it was quite scary for a child of 4..

My Mother's family as growing up, they had 'Perpetual' care for the grave sites. All of the children (8 girls) my Mom n her sisters even now, split the cost to keep it up n looking nice. I think that is a wonderful things. We Italians really care about our families. Im proud to be Italian.